Steroids (Anabolic)

Brief Description:
Most anabolic steroids are synthetic substances similar to the male sex hormone testosterone. They are taken orally or are injected. Some people, especially athletes, abuse anabolic steroids to build muscle and enhance performance. Abuse of anabolic steroids can lead to serious health problems, some of which are irreversible.

Statistics and Trends:
The NIDA-funded 2008 Monitoring the Future Study showed that 0.9% of 8th graders, 0.9% of 10th graders, and 1.5% of 12th graders had abused anabolic steroids at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: Monitoring the Future (University of Michigan Web Site) .